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The UK public does not know enough about nuclear energy to be able to say whether they support an increased use of the technology, according to new research.
A survey conducted by Love Energy Savings has found that although nuclear accounts for 48 per cent of the electricity generated from low-carbon sources in the UK, as much as 40 per cent of the public does not know enough about the subject to form an opinion.
The survey asked more than 750 people if they agreed with an increasing reliance on nuclear energy in the UK.
The research follows statistics from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) that showed low-carbon sources reached a record high with a share of 45.5 per cent in 2015, following the government’s target to cut carbon emissions 50 per cent by 2027.
Love Energy Savings managing director Phil Foster said: “Given nuclear power’s growing prominence in the energy industry, it was surprising to discover that so many people don’t understand the subject enough to make an informed decision on whether they support its use.
“With fossil fuel stocks decreasing rapidly, we will undoubtedly need to turn to alternatives such as nuclear power. It’d be great if we could rely solely on energy derived from sustainable sources such as wind, solar and tidal power, but we’re a long way from achieving this and we must be realistic.”
Despite the public’s lack of understanding of the subject, nuclear power is growing in prominence across the world. In July 2015, 438 nuclear reactors were in operation in 30 countries, with 67 under construction in 15 countries.
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